UNPUB: The beauty benefits of BioCell Collagen

From preventing wrinkles to strengthening hair and nails, learn about the science-backed beauty benefits of BioCell Collagen.

Sep 24, 2013

Have you ever thought about how many beauty products pass through your hands each morning? If you’re lucky, you may simply reach for a moisturizer enhanced with sunscreen before heading out the door. But if you’re like many, your daily regimen consists of everything from foundation and concealer to hair treatments and even nail strengtheners. What if you could enhance the effects of all these products (or even replace a few) with just one supplement? Thanks to BioCell Collagen, you can.

Attain younger-looking skin

As the largest organ in the body, and certainly the most visible, it’s no wonder skin’s appearance is so closely linked with aging—we can literally see the years on our faces. When aging causes the connective tissue in the skin dermis to deteriorate, it becomes noticeable in changes like skin dryness and wrinkles. “Since both collagen and hyaluronic acid (HA) are essential for the integrity of dermal connective tissue, supporting these molecules is crucial,” explained Joosang Park, PhD, vice president of scientific affairs at BioCell Technology.

To that end, BioCell Collagen boasts a naturally occurring matrix of hydrolyzed collagen type II, HA and chondroitin sulfate, which means it protects and enhances skin health from many angles: it not only replenishes collagen but also supports HA retention, which leads to moisturized skin. “A bioavailability study in humans showed that daily ingestion of BioCell Collagen elevated HA levels as much as sixty times,” Park said.

A recent study recruited 26 women with both natural and sun-induced wrinkles, lines, and dryness, and supplemented them with 1 gram of BioCell Collagen for 12 weeks. At the end of the study, skin dryness and scaling was reduced by 76 percent and fine lines and wrinkles by 13 percent. In addition, the women showed an increase in dermal collagen content and blood microcirculation. “This outcome strongly suggests that BioCell Collagen exerts multiple actions for beauty from the inside,” said Park.

Promote healthy hair and nails

But this ingredient’s benefits are more than skin deep, as it also plays a role in healthy hair and nails. Hair is made up primarily of keratin protein, which is produced most effectively when amino acids are supplied by the blood. When the collagen proteins in BioCell Collagen are processed and absorbed into the small intestine, they help to increase this pool of amino acids, which are then used by hair follicle cells to produce keratin protein for healthy hair. And by replacing lost collagen and HA, the ingredient reduces scalp dryness.

Similarly, fingernails and toenails are also made of keratin, and rest on a nail bed made of skin dermis. Aging can lead to brittle and dry nails as this dermis deteriorates. By supplementing with BioCell Collagen, the nail bed’s health can be restored through a boost of both collagen and HA.

Topical treatments vs. oral supplements

BioCell Technology recently developed BioCell Collagen CG, a cosmetic-grade ingredient that can be used in topical treatments. What sets this ingredient apart from others on the market is that it harbors a unique property that inhibits the HA-degrading enzyme called hyaluronidases, which is activated following chronic exposure to the sun’s UV rays. By applying a topical treatment that includes BioCell Collagen CG, skin dehydration and wrinkles from the sun can be reduced.

With both oral supplements and topical approaches available, it might be hard to choose the best approach. According to Park, the best defense against skin aging is a two-tiered defense, including both topical and oral treatments, since one can make up for the shortcomings of the other. “For example, oral supplementation provides a systemic skin health benefit throughout the body including hair and nails, but it might take a longer time than a topical treatment,” he said. “In contrast, the effect from a topical treatment may be visible immediately, but it is localized.”

Together, though, the two approaches provide a holistic and natural way to attain youthful skin, hair, and nails--without breaking the bank at the salon.